Category: Mold Remediation Services

How To Prevent Mold In Your Attic

May 7, 2021 / whalen

The attic is one area of the home that is very likely to be neglected or ignored. Since attics are often “out of sight, out of mind”, they can easily become a hotbed for mold. Roof leaks, poor ventilation, and other condensation related problems are some of the most common causes of excessive attic moisture and mold growth. Unattended mold in your home attic space can reproduce, leading to potential structural deterioration. However, with proper care, you can help prevent the growth of mold in your attic.

Here Are Some Tips On How to Maintain a Mold-Free Attic

Inspect Your Attic Monthly

Check regularly for rook leaks that may produce moisture. This is the best way to ensure that a leak does not go unnoticed for too long. Inspect the insulation and wood for discoloration, as discoloration may be a sign of water damage.

Check for wet areas in roof valleys (where two roofs join at an angle). These areas are highly susceptible to rook leaks and may lead to excess water and moisture damage if not properly fixed.

Ensure Proper Attic Ventilation

Without adequate ventilation, moisture levels in your attic may significantly increase. This is particularly important in the winter, when warm air rises to the ceiling, enters the attic, and condenses on the cold surfaces. Proper ventilation, using rafter vents and soffits, allows the heat and moisture to escape. Constant air exchange will keep attic humidity low and significantly reduce the chance for mold growth.

Ensure Proper Insulation Installation

Attic insulation controls the temperature and moisture levels by preventing warmer air from penetrating into the colder attic. Ensure that the insulation of the floor, heating ducts, and other regions and surfaces are adequately insulated, and that the insulation is in good shape.

Do not over insulate. Your roof needs a certain amount of heat to reach it so it can dry out the moisture in the air. By adding too much insulation, your cold attic may mix with wet winter air and produce mold growth.

Vent Appliances Directly to the Outside

Make sure that your dryer, kitchen, and bathroom vents are vented to the outside of your home and not in the attic. Each appliance and vent should have its own dedicated port to transport the hot air outside. Otherwise, your ventilation system could be overwhelmed and not maintain moisture levels efficiently.

For all your mold remediation services, give Whalen Restoration Services a call at (508) 760-1911, or check out our website for more information.

It’s Personal…

February 14, 2019 / whalen

What’s More Personal Than a Person’s Home?

We all hope that we’ll never need the services of a professional restoration company. The reality is that you or someone you know will have a situation that requires them. Why should Whalen Restoration Services be the first choice for Cape Cod, MA property owners? Most people want to work with an established company that has a great reputation. They want the company to be licensed and insured, the workers to be experienced and trained, and the best tools available to be used with up-to-date techniques. There isn’t a restoration company that won’t claim to have all of these positive attributes. Our special difference: Whether the project involves a residential property or a commercial property, our President, Bill Whalen, is tuned in to the needs of the owner.

Bill ensures that all of us at Whalen Restoration Services realize that there is nothing more personal than someone’s home. If put in the same situation we would want to be back in our own homes as soon as possible, and we work diligently to be sure that our clients are. Business owners have additional concerns, specifically the expense of being unable to operate the business while the restoration is ongoing. We helped one restaurant owner who had a fire just before a major holiday, and another restaurant owner whose building was hit by a car at the height of the summer season. Anyone who is familiar with Cape Cod knows that being closed during those times would be devastating for business! We also saved business for a hotel where, had we not responded in the fashion that we did, a wedding would have been forfeited. Our timely restorations also saved the insurance companies significantly in all of these cases. Bill’s empathy and understanding for the business owner contributes immensely to the successful completion of their restoration projects.

Many of us here at Whalen Restoration Services have homes and families of our own, so we completely understand that it is personal to have us in yours. This business is even family owned and operated. These are huge reasons why we’re committed to restoring every residential and commercial property to its pre-loss condition in a timely fashion with quality and courtesy.

Want to learn more about Bill and our office staff? Read on!

Air Quality Weighing You Down? It Could be the humidity.

March 4, 2014 / whalen

The days of simply opening the window to clear a stuffy house aren’t always available. For year-round relief and protection for your home start running a dehumidifier.

What do dehumidifiers do? Dehumidifiers reduce the amount of moisture in the air. They work just like air conditioners only they contain both hot and cold coils.

How do dehumidifiers work?
Air is drawn in to the dehumidifier and any moisture contained in that air is condensed onto cold coils. This dries the air. The dry air then passes over hot coils and is circulated back into the room. The moisture that condensed onto the cold coils is drained into a tank or “pint”. You have to periodically empty this tank to avoid overflow. Some dehumidifiers can simply be set to a certain humidity percentage and it will automatically run itself to maintain that specified level. If you don’t feel like emptying the you may find one with a pump system that you can then direct so that the water safely away from your foundation.

In the months that you run air conditioners in your home you may not need to run the dehumidifier if the air conditioning is keeping the humidity low enough. A hygrometer, which can be purchased at some hardware stores, will give you an accurate humidity reading.

Who can benefit from a dehumidifier?
Everyone can benefit from controlled air conditions, but even more so are people with allergies, asthma, or those who are living in moist conditions. Here on Cape Cod, being so close to the ocean, we are all very familiar with moist conditions.

Do you find that symptoms including stuffy nose, eye irritation or sneezing increase when spending time indoors? A number of irritants, including dust mites, could be the culprit. Dust mites live in mattresses, upholstery, curtains, rugs and even get mixed up the air. (This is why you should vacuum mattresses and upholstery once a week with a HEPA filter vacuum). Bringing the level of moisture in the air down will make it less environmentally friendly for mites, mold and mildew.

Controlling the indoor air humidity with a dehumidifier will also reduce the amount of dusting you need to keep up with, reduce door frame swelling, and lengthen the life of your windows by reducing any condensation on them. The air will smell noticeably fresher. You may even find that your laundry takes less time to dry, and that your food keeps longer.

What are signs of moisture?

Stains on ceilings and/or walls
A “stuffy” feeling when you enter a room
Rotten trim and/or wooden areas
Musty odors
Condensation found on windows
A hygrometer reading above 40-50%

How do you choose a dehumidifier? Your choices will be narrowed down with two variables: the amount of area the unit will cover and the size of the water tank that holds the condensed moisture. If you’ve ever purchased an air conditioner you know that it needs to be able to cover the entire cubic space of the room to work properly. Measure the area of space you’ll need to dehumidify (cubic feet) and select a unit that will cover at least that amount of space if not more. The higher the humidity in your geographical area, the larger the tank you’ll want your unit to have.

Don’t forget about maintenance on your dehumidifier. They can run above and beyond a few hundred dollars depending on the size you need so you’ll want to maintain them properly to get your money’s worth. Filters will need to either be cleaned or replaced so factor them into the cost when comparing units. Also, look for the energy efficient models to reduce the increase in electricity use. Some are also louder than others. If it’s in the basement you may not be too concerned with the noise, but if it’s close to a bedroom or entertaining space you may opt for a quieter version.

With all of the calls concerning mold in basements, musty bedroom and closet odors, and heat of summer mildew I highly advise that dehumidifiers are run to keep these occurrences at a minimum. If you do run into any of these while running a dehumidifier or not, always check first to make sure its not a slow leak, drip, or pending water damage. If it is, the sooner you find it the better.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

MOLD AND YOUR HOME

June 3, 2013 / whalen

Mold is a hot topic in home health today. It is also something that is inevitable and everywhere. We are exposed to many varieties of mold in the air we breathe, the surfaces we touch and the food we eat. Some of it is invasive to the surfaces of our homes potentially causing damage or illness. If you find mold in your home what do you do?

First try to understand mold for what it is: a natural fungus. Professionals are continuously researching mold to learn more about the potential hazards and benefits of it. Much of the research being conducted regarding potential hazards sheds interest towards workers in remediation, waste management and agricultural fields who are exposed to large amounts of mold often. Not all mold is toxic and healthy humans are mostly unaffected by it. People with preexisting respiratory problems, young children and the elderly are more susceptible to having reactions. Other than that, generally most reactions to mold are allergic reactions just like people have to food or pollen. Don’t forget that some mold, like penicillin, is beneficial.

Still, many find mold growing in their homes concerning. They key to combating mold growth is moisture control. You can’t remove all mold spores from your home. There will always be at least a slight presence of spores in the air and in dust. What you can do is try keep the spores from growing with routine cleaning and controlling the amount of indoor moisture. All mold spore types require moisture to grow, starting with a wet surface. If you find mold it must be cleaned and dried and the source of the moisture must be found and corrected. If you only clean the spot of mold you see growing, you are only partially addressing the problem and it will probably return. If the moisture problem is simply the general atmosphere of where you live you may simply need to purchase a dehumidifier to control the humidity in the area.

So, when do you call a mold remediation specialist? How you address the cleaning of the mold in your home depends on multiple factors. You must consider the size of the problem. Typically, if the mold you find only covers a small surface area then you can clean it yourself following protection guidelines. Keeping mold out of the bathroom can be nearly impossible and requires cleaning surfaces often as well as good ventilation. Frequently wet surfaces should be cleaned routinely before the mold can be visually detected. If you suspect mold in your duct work, then you should refrain from running your air system until you’ve had the ducts professional cleaned and sanitized, and the air filter replaced. If mold is found in an area that suffered water damage, then perhaps additional water damage mitigation services are required (drying, antimicrobial treatment and possibly removing any remaining wet material). If you don’t know what the cause of the mold is then you should call an air quality specialist to test the area and write you a protocol report. Air quality specialists can identify things like the type of mold, the quantity of spores in a given area, the source of the moisture they’re feeding off, and what to do to correct it. In order to ensure complete and successful mold remediation services some restoration companies even require a mold protocol report. You can have the air quality professional back to perform testing after the mold remediation services are done for great peace of mind that the services were successful.

For mold you believe you can clean on your own without consulting an air quality specialist and a mold remediation specialist here are some guidelines. You can use plastic sheets and tape to create a containment between the affected area and the rest of the house (don’t forget the air registers!). Once you touch the mold it can actually “poof” the spores into the air and quickly spread. Always wear a mask, gloves and goggles. Many people have the mask and gloves down, but then forget to protect their eyes. The EPA suggests using an N-95 respirator. After cleaning off the mold make sure that the affected areas are completely dry and start or continue controlling the humidity in the room. Strongly consider tossing porous materials and textiles if they are moldy. Mold may breed into the open spaces within porous items and those areas can be impossible to treat and then thoroughly dry.

You can help prevent mold growth in many ways. Routine, general surface cleaning is a key factor, including keeping your gutters and your roof clear. Check your foundation and make sure that the ground is properly sloped so that water will drain away from it. Make sure to clean up/correct leaks and spills as soon as you are aware of them. Protect yourself when cleaning mold, and clean areas susceptible to it often. If you encounter mold that you believe needs professional attention, have your local air quality specialist test it and then call a trusted mold remediation specialist, like Whalen Restoration Services!